Heritage Property

How do I register a property?

Provincial Registration

The Provincial Registry of Heritage Property is a list of properties that possess provincial heritage value. This includes any property or place that can be considered part of our built heritage.

Heritage value includes the architecture, setting, or historical associations that are important to Nova Scotia’s history. Once properties are added to the list, they are protected under the Heritage Property Act.

To register a property, obtain and submit an application to the Heritage Property Program. The application will go through three steps:

Your application will be assessed based on historical research and architectural evaluation.​​

If the application is accepted, it will be reviewed by the Minister’s Advisory Council on Heritage Property. This is a province-wide body made up of individuals representing a range of expertise.​

If the proposed property meets established criteria and is found to have a provincial level of heritage significance, a recommendation is made to the Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage. The Minister then decides if the property will become a provincially registered heritage property.

Municipal Registration

A Municipal Registry of Heritage Property is similar to the Provincial Registry. The main difference is that it lists properties that have heritage value on a local or community level. Properties may be on both municipal and provincial registries.

To register a property, submit an application to the appropriate municipal office for review by the municipality’s heritage advisory committee. The decision to place a property on a municipal registry is made by the municipal council.

Contact the municipality in which your property is located for more information or to obtain a municipal application.